Kite parachute release



March 1, 1949. F. PR TI E 2,463,201

I KITE PARACHUTE RELEASE Filed March "7, 1947 INVENT R, AZbE'R 1 F pram %u:e

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ATTD R N EYE Patented Mar. 1, 1949 KITE PARACHUTE RELEASE Albert F. Prentice, Oakland, Calif., assignor of one-half to Don F. Prentice, Oakland, Calif.

Application March 7, 1947, Serial No. 733,141

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in toys, and more particularly to the provision of a device for releasing a toy parachute from a kite string.

It is an object of the invention to provide a simple non-metallic device having few parts, which device can be easily mounted on a kite string to release a toy parachute.

A further object is to provide a device of light weight, preferably made of a plastic or other nonmetallic material, the device being provided with means for holding a parachute string, and means to automatically release the string when the parachute has risen to a predetermined point on a kite string.

A further object is to provide a parachute releasing device of simple structure, with practically no parts to get out of order, and which can be inexpensively manufactured.

These and other objects are attained by the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a view showing the application of the device to a kite.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a device embodying the invention.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the device.

Referringto the drawings, the device is shown to comprise a body I, in the form of a cylindrical block, having three holes 2, 3, 4 passing therethrough.

Passing through hole 4 is a rubber band. Passing through one end of the band is a keeper 1 which rests in a groove 6. The other end of the band has passing therethrough a keeper 8 which rests in a groove similar to groove 6. The keepers I and 8 are preferably small cylindrical wooden pegs of light weight.

In operation, one end of a parachute string 9 is placed in the groove 6 and held in place by the keeper 1. The string 9 is attached to a toy parachute II, and a string Ill attached to a kite l 3 passes through the hole 3, the string 9 passing through the hole 2.

A knot I2 is formed in the string I not less than eight feet from the kite.

The object, such as the parachute, is released and the wind will carry the body I and parachute up the string HI until the knot I2 is reached. At this point the kite string Ill is given a stiff jerk which causes the parachute string 9 to come out from under the keeper I and to be free from the kite. After the parachute has been freed, the body I slides down the string l0 and is ready to receive another parachute.

The parachutes can be made of silk, or paper. Silk handkerchiefs and paper napkins make effective parachutes. Since the paper napkins are inexpensive, they are preferred over the silk.

The device is obviously simple in structure, and can be inexpensively made. The device is preferably made of a plastic or wood, or other non metallic material, and can be easily manipulated by children.

The above description is to be considered as illustrative and not limitative of the invention, of which modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described, a body having three holes extending therethrough transversely of the body, said body having parallel grooves on the opposite sides at the ends of one of the holes, a rubber band passing through said hole and having its ends terminating in said rooves, and keepers passing through the ends of the band and lying within the grooves.

2. In a device of the class described, a body having a hole passing therethrough, grooves on the opposite sides of the body at the end of the hole a rubber band passing through the hole, a keeper adapted to be positioned in each groove and to pass through the ends of the band, said body having additional holes passing therethrough to receive a kite string and a string attached to a parachute which is then detachably connected to one of said keepers.

ALBERT F. PRENTICE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,746,157 Johnson Feb. 4, 1930 2,279,152 Whitehurst Apr. 7, 1942 

